Truck for vehicles



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

E. A. SPERRY.

TRUCK POR VEHIGLES.

Patented Jan. l2, 1892.

J'yfl. E.. AA

A 1l H.

HIIIIIIIIH (No Model.) :2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. A. SPBRRY.. TRUCK PoR VEHICLES.

Patented Jan. 12, 1892.

n :rens co4. mow-umol, 'asuma-mu o c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER A. SPERRY, OF CIIICAG-O, ILLINOIS.

TRUCK FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofy Letters Patent No. 466,808, dated January 12, 1892.

Application iilcd July 25, 1891.

T0 @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER A. SPERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Trucks for Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specication.

My invention relates to power connections on trucks of Vehicles; and it consists more particularly in a method of adjusting the centers, especially where a sprocket and chain are used to transmit powerfrom one axle to another, and in certain details in connection with the adjustments of centers and use of the chain for the purposes named, such as `will decrease theexpense of manufacture and render same more generally available. Each of the improvements constituting said invention is, however, included for all of the uses to which it may be adapted.

One method of carrying my invention into practice is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l Shows a top plan view of a truck. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one end of the case, showing method of sliding connections with motor-shaft midway between the axles. Fig. 3 shows a side elevation containing pedestal-box, showing method of adjustment, tbc. Fig. 4i is a side elevation, partially in section', of the sprocket-wheel, showing its case. Fig. 5 is an end view of case in section where the axle passes through same, showing journals and sprocket-wheel. Fig. 6 is a detail.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

A indicates the ordinary 'truck-:frame supporting the car either by transom and swivel A or by springs or direct attachment in any other well-known way. This frame may be supported by springs or rubber cushions A extending downward and being supported by the pedestal B. (See Fig. 3.) The pedestals in Fig. l are shown as of two kinds, one being adjustable and the other being of the ordinary construction. However, in Fig. 2 the axles, one of which only is shown, are both supported in adjustable pedestals, so that the sprocket connection from the intermediate axle, which in this case is connected with the motor, may each be tightened by throwing its Serial No. 400,666. (No model.)

axle back or outward from the center ot' the truck.

B illustrates the axles4 of the truck carrying the truck-wheels B, which are secured rigidly upon the axles. The pedestal-boxes may be so arranged as tobe adjustable in the pedestals, but must be guided so as to hold alignment with the pedestals. Thsis shown by the flanges C and C upon the upper and lower extremities ot' the boxes. Corresponding tlanges are also found upon the side of the pedestal nearest the wheel, ways being formed in the pedestal in which this flanged box may travel. The lower way C is removable for the purpose of insertion of the box, as shown.

Above the box is preferably an elastic cushion I), protected above and below by wearing-plates of metal, D', (see Fig. 6,) which are held relatively to the movement of the box by pins D, which serve also to hold the cushion in position and which pass through the flanges of the box and partake of the movements of adjustment. cushion is always held directly above the box between it andthe pedestal.

In one ot` the sides of the jaw of the pedestal are two apertures,` which are screwthreaded to receive screws E and E'. Interior to and in an adjacent portion of the pedestal these two screws are connected by sprocket wheel and chain, as shown in dotted lines. Set-screws L are Vused with soft-metal plugs underneath to secure 'the box after it has been adjusted by firmly holding the screws E and E in position. Screw E, however, extends out t0 a point beyond the wheel B, where a sprocket and nut F. are provided, and a chain F extends over to the corresponding screw of the pedestal-box on the opposite side of the same axle, as will readily be understood. This chain is shown in Fig. 1. This axle is connected to the power-shaft by a chain F', which operates in connection with a sprocket F secured thereto. It will readily be understood that the axle B', which is journaled in the pedestal B, may be the power-receiving axle and transmit its power by chain F to the stationary axle; but the reverse order is preferred. I prefer to use a casing over the sprocket to prevent noise and to contain oil for the sprocket and chain.

In this way the' ICO These are shown in Figs. l, 2, 4, and 5, and are indicated vby the letter G. They consist of an upper part, which is indicated by G, and a lower part, indicated by G. Either part is provided with a lip G, which helps ,to guide the other portion, and are bolted together, so as to grasp the a-xle in any of the well-known methods. These may be provided with oil-plugs O. Wherever one of the axles, as in Fig. 4, moves with respect to this case, or both of the axles, as in the case in Fig. 2, the connection between the axle and the case must bc a sliding one. The construction I have adopted tov provide for this arrangement, and at the same time prevent the egress of oil and introduction of dust within the case, I have illustrated in Figs. 4L and 5. The case is provided with an oblong hole consisting of the outwardly-projecting flange H, supported by brackets H. These rest upon ajournal I, which is provided with an apron I', which extends in either direction therefrom, the gutter formed by a projection from the casing indicated atl. The journal is made rectangular (shown at K) where the casing bears upon it, so as to provide fora better surface for the tiange IVI. The apron I is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. In this figure the power-shaft is intermediate between the two axles, both of which are made adjustable and of the same construction. essary to show them both.

The method by which the power may be delivered to the rleft-hand axle in Fig. l may be understood by reference to my patent, No. A34,097, dated August l2, 1890.

The use and operation-of my device will -f readily be understood from the foregoing specification, and simply consist in employing the sprocket and chain for power transmission in the ordinary way, and the taking up or adjustment of the various parts is useful in compensating for the wearing of the chain, rendering the same less noisy, and also to lessen the distance between the axles when applying or removing the chain. In using a metal chain for driving it will beunderstood that there is a very large number of wearing-surfaces, and in the iexure of the chain about the sprockets these wearing-surfaces are all brought into play, rendering constant lubrication advantageous. The slight wearing of each will be understood as making a Iconsiderable elongation of the chain as a whole, making adjustments of the centers necessary for practical working. A scale L I find very useful for the purpose of showing amount of adjustment, as it will readily be understood that the axles, as the adjustment proceeds, should at all times be kept parallel. The scale is used before applying the chain F or while replacing or altering same and for other purposes for which such scale would naturally be usefulin this connection. I have termed it the indicaton77 I have termed the adjustment of the boxes It is therefore not though t nec-- within the pedestal a horizontal transverse adjustment, inasmuch as the adjust-ment nearly always takes place in this direction and is transverse with reference to the axis of the axles.

It will be readily understood that mechanism can be adapted for adjustment in any other direction, and my invention extends to such use.

Other details of construction will evidently suggest themselves and may be employed withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. For instance, means other than the ways for connecting'the pedestal-boxes upon the pedestal during the movements of adjustment might be used.

Although it is designed to use all these features in connection with one another, yet it is obvious that one or more of them may be used without thc others, and. the rinvention extends to such use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. In a truck for a vehicle, two axles substantiallyparallel to each other, a chain-andsprocket power-transmitting connection between the two axles, and means provided for changing the distance between ther centers of such axles, forming a take-up forwcar upon chain and sprocket.

2. In a truck for a vehicle, an axle, journals for such axle at or near its extremities, means provided for the adjustment of said journals between each of such journals and the truckfranie, and connections between such mechanisms for their simultaneous operation.

3. In a truck for a vehicle,an axle supporting a chain-and-sprocket power-driving connection to another axle, a pedestal substantially such as described, containing a/pedestal-box for the axle which is adapted for transverse horizontal movement, and mechanism between the pedestal-box and the pedestal for adjusting their relative position, in combination with devices for securing the parts in position after adjustment.

Il. In a truck for a vehicle, a car-axle supporting a chain-and-sprocket power-driving connection to another axle, a pedestal substantiall y such as described, containing a pedestal-box for the'axle which is adapted for transverse horizontal movement, mechanism between the pedestal-box and the pedestal for varying their relative position, and an indicator to indicate the relative adjustment of the parts.

5. In a truck for a vehicle, two or more axles, sprockets and chain-power-transmitting connection between such axles, an oil-containing housing su pported on the axles by journals, and a slip-joint provided between such housing and the journals to allow of a change of distance between the axles, for the purposes specified.

6. In a truck for a vehicle, an axle, a powerdriving connection to such axle, and a case in.- closing such power-driving connection sup- IIO ported upon such axle by journals which have a slipping connection with the casing.

7. In a truck for a vehicle, an axle, a powerdriving .connection to such axle, a case inclosing such power-driving connection supported upon such axle by journals, and an aperture in the casing for receiving the journal, the aperture being larger than the journal, combined with an apron or iiange extension of the journal for covering the aperture in the casing.

8. In a truck for a vehicle, an axle, a powerdriving connection to such axle, a case inclosing such power-driving connection supported upon such axle by journals, an oblong aperture in the casing for receiving the journal, said aperture being larger than the journal upon two sides and touching or grasping the journal upon its other two sides, and an apron or flange extension of the journal for covering the aperture in the casing.

9. In a truck for avehicle, an axle, a powerdriving connection to such axle, a ease inclosing such power-driving connection supported upon such axle by journals, and an aperture in the casing for receiving the journal7 the aperture being larger than the journal, combined with an apron or fiange extension of the journal for covering the aperture in the casing, and a gutter or cup-shaped projection provided upon the casing adjacent to the edges of the flange or apron projection of the journal.

10. In a truck for a vehicle, two axles, power-driving connection between the two axles, a housing extending from one axle to the other and resting thereon, journals provided upon one axle, separate journals upon the other axle, and connections between such journals to the housing for the support of the housing.

1l. In a truck for a vehicle, two axles, power-driving connection between the two axles, a housing extending from one axle to the other and resting thereon, journals provided for the reception of one axle and a separate journal on the other axle for the support of the housing, and a slipping joint between the housing and the last named journal.

12. In a truck for a vehicle, a pedestal containing a jaw materially larger than the pedestal-box as to horizontal dimensions, a pedestal-box contained therein adapted to move along the jaw and to take up different positions therein, and means between the pedestal-box and the pedestal for movement of said box, an axle contained in said box, and a sprocket-and-chain power-driving connection mounted upon such axle and connecting same with anoiher shaft or axle within the truck, substantially as and for the purposes speciiied.

13. In a truck for a vehicle, an axle, apedestal containing a pedestal-box for the axle which is adapted for transverse horizontal movement, mechanism between the pedestalbox and the pedestal for varying their relative position, and an elastic medium inserted between the pedestal-box and the pedestal.

14. lIn a truck for a vehicle, an axle, a pedestal containing a pedestal-box for the axle which is adapted for transverse horizontal adjustment, mechanism between the pedestalbox and the pedestal for varying their relative position, an elastic medium inserted between the pedestal-box and the pedestal, and means provided for securing such elastic medium to the pedestal-box, so that it may partake of the movements of such pedestal-box.

15. In a truck 'for a vehicle, two pedestals, an axle, two pedestal-boxes for such axle, each pedestal arranged for relative transverse horizontal adjustment ot the boxes, mechanism located within each of the pedestals for the adjustment of the boxes, and conneet-ions extending from the mechanism in one box to the mechanism in the other for simultaneous operation of the said adjusting mechanism. 1

V)ELMER A. SPERRY.

Witnesses:

HERBERT E. GOODMAN, AMANDUs M. HEYL. 

